


Dinner Reservations

by HauntedAutomaton



Series: Inspired by Art [1]
Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-06
Updated: 2017-04-06
Packaged: 2018-10-15 11:30:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,116
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10555574
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HauntedAutomaton/pseuds/HauntedAutomaton
Summary: Greg meets Alexandrite for the first time, and they have a bit of a heart-to-heart.This work is inspired by the episode "Fusion Cuisine"





	

          Greg let out a steadying sigh as he stepped out onto the porch. Seeing the gems gathered near the shore, he called out to them.

          “Hey guys! Steven's still getting ready, and he didn't really tell me how fancy this dinner was supposed to be, but I brought the cherry sweater just in case-” His greeting was cut short by Pearl tripping over Amethyst and slamming into Garnet's thigh.

          “We are a little busy right now, Greg!” a furious Pearl replied.

          “Doesn't matter,” said Amethyst as she picked herself up and shook the wet sand out of her hair. “It's not like this is gonna work anyway. We haven't been able to form Alex since-”

          “We will,” Garnet cut her off by placing her hand on Amethyst's shoulder.

          “Well I'm glad you can remain so optimistic,” said Pearl in a huff from the ground. Greg came over to offer her a hand, which she ignored as she picked herself up off the beach and began attempting to brush the sand off of herself. Greg offered his “handkerchief” that was actually just his least dirty rag. This, Pearl accepted, and her expression softened.

          “You guys are really going through with this fusion thing huh. I mean, are you really sure this is a good idea?” he asked, turning to Garnet.

          “No,” she said.

          “Then uh...why go to all this trouble?”

          “Because Steven needs to learn that for himself. Besides,” she spoke up, turning to the gems, “We could use the practice.”

          At this, Greg took several strides back to watch the gems dance. It was something else to see them when they all finally found a rhythm that worked. Garnet lead Pearl in a dance until Amethyst leapt between them. Garnet caught her with one hand while dipping Pearl with the other. As they drew each other in close, their forms began to glow, shift, and grow. In a flash of harsh light that ripped out across the water, Alexandrite stood.

          With a great sigh, the monstrous gem knelt down to the water's edge to look at herself in the sea. Satisfied, she sat, crossed her legs, joined each of her pairs of hands, and waited. She only stirred from her meditation when she heard the small shuffling of Greg making his way to the water's edge.

          “Uh...hey,” he finally said.

          “Hello, Greg,” came the deep, raspy reply, “I don't suppose we've ever formally met.”

          “I don't think so,” he said with a slight chuckle, “But I guess you know me?” He asked.

          “Yes, we remember you,” Alexandrite assured him with a slight smirk.

          “Oh good...I think,” Greg responded, a little concerned, “But I'm still not too...uh...familiar, with this magic stuff. I never did get the hang of fusion. As a concept,” he added quickly, “Rose did tell me a little about you though.”

          At the mention of Rose, Alexandrite's face contorted into a strained furrow. Greg saw this, and internally kicked himself.

          “Sorry,” he began, but the giant raised her hand to stop him. Taking a different tact, he decided to ask “Well, since I don't know that much about you...maybe you could tell me a little about yourself?”

          “There isn't much to tell. I'm a weapon of necessity.” Greg was dissatisfied.

          “That's not very much to go on,” he pointed out, “I mean, we are supposed to be married, right?”

          At this Alexandrite began to glow and shift, her form undulating in erratic ripples.

          “Whoa! Hey! What'd I say?!” Greg exclaimed backing up.

          The fusion settled herself again, and when the glowing stopped she tentatively spoke, as though the wrong phrase might undo her.

          “It's alright Greg. Amethyst and Pearl just...feel differently...about the thought of being married to you.”

          Greg stepped back toward her with an incredulous expression. “Oh, well, I see.” After sitting back down, he cracked a smile. “I didn't mean to make Pearl so hot and bothered.”

          Alexandrite shimmered slightly at this, but she also began to chuckle to herself behind a few sets of hands. The constrained laughter grew less and less constrained, and finally Greg spoke up.

          “Hey c'mon, it's not supposed to be _that_ funny,” he complained, but he was wearing a broad smile.

          The giant woman broke out into a deep fit of giggles.

          “I don't think you're a weapon.”

          “Heeheehmm hmm?” Alexandrite attempted to compose herself.

          “I think you've seen a lot of hardship. But I don't think we're defined just by what we've seen. I think there's more to it than that,” Greg finished.

          At this, the fusion resumed her meditation pose, and drew in a drink of sea air.

          “Maybe this is what I choose, Greg. I choose to protect this planet, this city, and Steven.”

          Greg responded to this by leaning back more, and listening to the waves as the sun set behind them.

          “We did blame you,” Alexandrite finally spoke again. “We blamed you, and then forgave you.”

          The human shifted in the sand, and said nothing.

          “But now I want to thank you. We all do.”

          Greg realized that this was the most resolute and singular the fusion's voice had sounded the whole night. He turned to look up at her, and she met his gaze from above.

          “Opal wanted me to tell you that while we had the chance.”

          “Thanks,” Greg sighed, in earnest. “It means a lot to hear that. And I know Rose would...wait,” he stopped. “Isn't Opal the one with Pearl and Amethyst?”

          “Yes?” Alexandrite replied, a bit bemused.

          “But then, are there others? Like, that big one that wrecked the beach! Or the one who upstaged our last concert?!”

          “Yes, Sugilite and Sardonyx both care for Steven as well-” but Greg continued.

          “And wait, isn't Garnet made of those two little ones?! Does that mean that...ohhh boy...” He slumped onto the sand and held his head. “How many of you are in there?”

          “Just one. Or fifteen. Depending on how you look at it. Now you know why this is so hard.” Alexandrite sprouted a large toothy smile from her lower mouth.

          Greg sat and the sand muttering “fifteen” repeatedly, until the screen door up at the house slammed shut.

          “Guys! I'm ready!” Steven ran out onto the porch wearing exactly what he does every day, with the exception of the tiny clip-on bow-tie he had spent the last hour deciding to wear. He sprinted across the beach over to Alexandrite, with stars filling his eyes. “Giantwomangiantwomangiantwoman!”

          “Indeed,” she replied. “Now, let's not be late.” She stooped down, and picked up Steven and Greg, putting one on each shoulder, and began to trudge off towards the wharf.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading, and I hope you enjoyed it! Feel free to leave a comment if you spot any mistakes or just see something that could be done better!


End file.
